Deal With the Devil aka St Peter
by BlairCorneliaBass
Summary: What's a girl to do when the only way to save her future is to be thrown into the past? C/B
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Special note for Chairbuck12, whose story An Unusual Encounter (found here: .net/s/5096965/1/An_Unusual_Encounter) inspired me to write this.

**Deal With the Devil a.k.a. St. Peter**

I never imagined that I would die when I was eighteen. In August. Wearing my lucky yellow Prada heels.

I had just been going out for a morning latte, leaving Chuck, sated from our long night of lovemaking, totally knocked out in bed. And I had been very happy that morning; if I remember correctly, I had even been whistling _showtunes_, and no, not quietly under my breath as all showtunes, if they must be whistled, should be- but unabashed and brazenly. Why, you might ask? Well, the short answer is that I had been ecstatically happy and content ever since Chuck Bass finally said those three little words to me that my joyfulness meter crashed through the roof all the time (and in particular, when I've had a total of _six_ orgasms the night before, also courtesy of Mr. Charles Bartholomew Bass).

We were doing great really, so much better than I would have ever dreamed of. Sure, sometimes the old doubts crept in a little, but I had learned little by little to trust him more, and he'd never given me any cause for heartache in the past few months. Okay, the thought of me going off to college in a week and him working Bass Industries (with his stupid blonde bitch of a secretary) sometimes gave me grande-mal-size panic attacks, but I was planning on getting some very good medication for them.

So it really didn't make sense when a big fluorescent orange (ew!) Jeep slid through the streets and hit me as I was crossing, ruining all the perfection that was my life now. Yes, it had been raining the night before, so the driver could blame the slickness of the pavement, and technically I wasn't using a crosswalk (they're for common people!), but I really blame the owner of the vehicle for choosing such a horrendous color. Obviously he couldn't be watching the road properly when his eyes must have been glued to the hood of his car, puzzling as to why he purchased it...

Anyway, so at least death by fugly car is one of the quicker and more painless ways to go, because as soon as it hit me I was out. Total blackness for a few seconds and then a bright light. Yes, kiddies- it's true! Remembering the inherent instructions in _Ghost_, I decided to go into the light. Surprisingly, heavenly beams of light are much more like those inner tube things they have on the Jetsons, because I was sucked straight up like a vacuum. The downside is they are rather disorienting, so it took a few seconds for me to regain my senses when I landed wherever I had. But when I did, I saw myself planted on some white fluffy stuff (cloud?) and sitting before the great pearly gates.

"Blair Cornelia Waldorf," came the voice of an old man, sitting at a gold podium to my left. It was a statement, rather than a question. He took out a pocket watch and looked down at it. "10:26 A.M., August the 15th, 2009," he dictated to himself, writing it on some enormous ledger on the podium.

I looked around me for a bit more until realization hit. "I'm in heaven?" I echoed to myself slowly. "Really? I made it to heaven? _Yes!_ I knew I'd be forgiven for that whole Trisha Cooper debacle!" I did a little victory dance for myself.

The old man peered at me over his horn-rimmed glasses. "Are the celebrations complete yet?"

"I've confessed," I told him with an upraised finger. "And prayed on occassion, and been to church when I was very young. And I'm an upstanding citizen of my community. Of course I belong here!"

He sighed tiredly and nodded his head. "That's why you're on the list, dearie."

But then it all came back to me. "Wait a second-_ why am I dead?!" _I screamed at him. "I'm eighteen! I haven't even been to college, or gotten married, or had babies, or worn any of the new fall line by Miu Miu!" Their plum knit jacket had looked so lovely with my complexion.

"I'm sorry." The old man raised his hands, shrugging. "You're on the list."

I grabbed his big stupid book and looked. It was like a prehistoric form of airport lists, with a column for departures and arrivals. And under 10 o'clock arrivals was my name.

"There must be some mistake- I'm not supposed to be dead!" I bewailed.

"That's what they all say, dear," the old man sighed, turning the page of the book.

I pouted for a few minutes, arms crossed and my foot tapping against the cloud (which was really difficult since you couldn't really tap it at all). I can't be dead; there is no way that my life's greatest achievement was winning prom Queen at Constance Billiard's. What was I even last doing? Let's see, I was walking... getting coffee and feeling slightly sore because...

"CHUCK!" I exclaimed, so loudly that the little old man fell off of his chair a bit.

I stalked over to him and grabbed his silly little white robe by its collar, bringing him straight to my face. "You. Don't. Under. Stand. I _just_ got Chuck Bass to tell me he loves me, and we are now boyfriend and girlfriend and because of him I have had the best three months of my life. And if you think that I'm about to give that up, _you can think again little man!_"

His eyebrows hit the top of his bald head. "It's St. Peter to you, little missie, and this is certainly not the kind of conduct we allow in here." I dropped the death-hold from his robes. He brushed himself off slightly. "Let me see now, what was the name you just said?" He started thumbing through his book.

"Charles Bartholomew Bass," I told him with narrowed eyes.

"Ah," he murmured, stopping at a page finally. "Well, you'll be seeing him soon enough. Or, actually..."

"What- what do you mean 'soon enough'?" I asked, bewildered and stepping closer to scan the ledger myself.

He plopped a thick finger onto a name on the white paper. "Charles Bartholomew Bass. Septmeber 15th, 10:26 A.M. Exactly one month after you."

He was right. The words were right there; I could see them. But it couldn't be. "No," I whispered, but it barely came out. "Why? How?"

The old man, _St. Peter_, pointed to the top of the list, which was titled: Suicides.

My hand flew to my mouth. "Oh, no! No, no, no, no, NO!"

"It appears he won't be arriving here either; he'll be sent to hell," he said, tutting and closing the book. "That's just the way things are sometimes."

"No, they aren't!" I countered, pointing my accusatory finger back in his face. "I'm not supposed to die this young and neither is he! We were supposed to fight a lot more, and then get married and have lots of babies! Beautiful, beautiful chestnut-haired babies!" I sobbed.

He patted my back awkwardly. "Aw, hush now, dear. I'm sure you had enough time together."

My next sniffle got caught in my throat as I glared up at him. "No! We didn't! We started out as this secret because we hooked up like twenty minutes after I broke up with my boyfriend, and then when he started liking me again, I was stupid and I got back together with him, which really hurt Chuck. And then everything came out about our secret affair, which made them mad at each other 'cause they're best friends, so they _both_ broke up with me, and then at his father's wedding, Chuck apologized and gave this speech about true love and said we'd take it slow, but then he _left_ me all by myself in Tuscany when we were supposed to go together for the summer! But then I got back and he was sorry and I was mad, so I dated this Lord who was dating his step-mom (they are so going to hell, by the way), and then we almost got together but we couldn't say 'I love you'. And then I said it and he ran away, and then I said it _three_ times and he ran away again, and then he finally came back and said it. It took him almost two years before he could say he loved me! We just got together now!"

He looked confused. "Oh, well, then I'm sure it's all for the best. That sounds like a disturbing relationship, honey."

"No, it's not!" I wailed, falling forward on the soft, pillowy cloud and pounding my fists on it's fluffiness. "It's true love!"

There was a pause as only the sound of my muffled sobs echoed around us.

"True love, you say?" he asked curiously.

I stared at him, caught midway between another huge sniffle. "What?"

He walked a little aways to a bookshelf, which had suddenly appeared, and selected one of the thick tomes. "In the case of true love, they make a few exceptions. Well, chances, more like. Ah, here we go." He had found the place he had been looking for, and began reading as I walked over to him.

"In the case of true love, if one of the lovers can sufficiently prove their love is real beyond trying circumstances, they are allowed a second chance at life."

"A second chance? Really? I'll do it- anything!" I cried.

"Well generally the obstacle is performing some dangerous feat, but obviously, with Mr. Bass, it is about _expression_. Do you believe he loved you before the time he finally said it?"

I paused for only a second before nodding firmly.

He nodded as well. "So then, the only solution is if you can get him to say that he loves you at the very beginning of your relationship within the allotted time."

"Well, wait a second! I don't know about _that_ early-"

"Those are the terms, my dear." He smiled at me, peering over his glasses. "And if it's true love, it should always win."

I gulped. Chuck Bass, saying 'I love you' way back when? Did this little man not hear how it had taken him years before he could say it out loud? I was doomed.

But then I thought about it. We had made so many mistakes in the beginning- well, _I_ had made so many mistakes. And without them, maybe things would have been a whole lot simpler, more easier.

"How much time do I have?" I asked, wiping my tears on my sleeve.

"One month, my dear. Real time continues on unfortunately, so you'll have one month precisely before Charles' time is up too."

I stood up, my hands clenched in fists with my fear, but feeling the determination surge through me as well.

"Alright," I growled. "I'll do it."

St. Peter nodded. "Good luck."

Before I knew it, a white fog had covered my vision, and then everything went to black.

A/N: I just wanted to say that I'm not trying to follow any sort of religious doctrine or theory here, so I don't mean to offend anyone. Basically this is just a silly story I'm writing for fun. :)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was a pretty groggy experience, being rebirthed into one's past self. I had no idea as to what exact time I was being transported to, but I could immediately tell that things were different.

For one, I had forgotten how last season my brown silk coverlet was. I had gotten rid of it before the summer of 2008 because it was rather scratchy against my skin. Definitely needed Dorota to buy some new sheets, ASAP.

My eyes opened a little wider. To find myself staring at a picture of Nate Archibald, complete with heart encrusted frame and the words _forever love_ engraved at the top. Yecccchhh. Was I really that obsessed?

I turned the photo upside down so I didn't have to look at it anymore and surveyed my surroundings.

Not too much had changed. Then I looked down at my body and saw that there were a lot of changes. I'm so skinny! OMG, I bet I can fit into my Marc Jacobs size 0 jeans again! Chuck had bought them for me when we first got together, but then that summer I gained a little weight being so depressed, and, you know, France has the deadliest amount of decandent chocolate cream puffs in the world... which was also Chuck's fault.

Well anyway, I'd torn them up when I remembered that they had been a gift from that stupid Chuck Basstard (and when I couldn't fit them anymore). And if they were in my closet, at least then I would know more what was going on in my life at this time. I got out of my bed, shuffled to my closet and swung open the doors.

Ooh! My pretty pink Valentina dress- forgot about that one. And my green Louboutin pumps- how I'd missed them! I spent a few minutes reacquainting myself with forgotten but beloved clothing. But as I looked through each item, I could find no black skinny jeans made only for pencil-thin legs.

Alright, so we're talkin' pre-jean period here. But surely it was at least after our night in Victrola, I mean, the old man said 'at the beginning' of our relationship, and that was the beginning, so...

I was getting slightly nervous now. Alright, well what I really needed to do was check the date. I had to find my phone, which had always been set aside neatly on my bedstand during my slumber since I first got my own phone.

I walked over to the table of the right side of my bed, finding my phone just as I had predicted. I flipped it open to see a picture of me and Nate again as my wallpaper. Double yuck. Hadn't I destroyed all these when we'd broken up? Unless...

Alright, don't panic. Just check the date.

But a white lace dress with black tights thrown over the side of my bed caught my eye. It looked so familiar, just like the one I'd worn to the...

Everything clicked into place.

Oh no. This could not be the day of the Bass brunch. I could not have been sent as far back as that. I was in _heaven,_ which means the people in there are supposed to be nice...

I flipped open my phone. September 8th, 2007.

"NO!" I shouted to no one in particular, throwing the phone on the floor. "I hate you, you horrible little man! You are evil- how on earth did you get to run heaven anyway?! You so clearly belong in _hell_, and that's exactly where I will demand you be placed when I'm through with-"

"Miss Blair?" Dorota's voice cut through my vehement diatribe. She looked at me from the doorway disapprovingly. "You are late getting up today. Iz and Kati already stop by, but I could not wake you up. Now you have other guest downstairs."

"What? Who?"

"Miss Serena!" Dorota squealed excitedly and hustled out of the room.

Oh, thank goodness. A sense of normalcy would somewhat be back if I had Serena. I put on my gossameer robe and walked down the stairs.

And there she was, looking slightly more innocent than I'd seen in a long time.

"Serena!" I cried, flinging myself into her arms.

"Oh, wow, uh.... good to see you too, Blair" she mumbled around my hair. "I brought cappaccinos and Audrey."

"Yes," I agreed quickly, having a slight epiphany. "Yes, that's exactly what I need. Audrey will have the answers."

But unfortunately we only got through the first twenty minutes of Breakfast at Tiffany's (not nearly enough time to induce life-altering epiphanies) before we were interrupted.

"Um, hey- Blair..." the voice of Jenny Humphrey came from the elevator doorway.

Ah! Jenny Humphrey! But not little miss I'm-a-rebellious-sixteen-year-old-fashion-designer-with-too-much-makeup, but the little sweet Jenny Humphrey who's head was still turned by the UES world. The little Jenny Humphrey who still worshipped me.

Muhuhahahaha-

Wait. It was a prime situation or manipulation, but that was something that the old Blair Waldorf would do. I was still the new and improved Blair Waldorf and I was above such petty things.

"Um," Jenny continued. "I'm sorry, Blair. I didn't know Serena was here. I wanted to ask you about something, but- I'll just see you later, I guess." She hastily made her way to the elevator again.

And I would have let her. I still needed my epiphany from Audrey and couldn't waste my time with little Humphrey concerns.

"Oh wait, Jenny!" Serena said, getting up. "You might as well stay, I mean you have the brunch to get ready for anyway right, B?"

I glared at her slightly from my pillow on the floor. I'd forgotten how kindness always translated to imposing with Serena. But oh well, I did need to get ready. "Yeah," I grumbled, getting up myself. "You're going too, right, S?"

"Um, well, I wasn't really planning on it, but... maybe. I need to stop by home, though." She waved at us and walked to the elevator.

When the elevator doors closed on Serena, I turned to Jenny, arms crossed over my chest. "So? What did you want to talk about?"

"Um, well, I brought back your calligraphy pens, since I thought you might need them and-"

Her words brought back a surge of remembrance. The return of stupid calligraphy pens was not Jenny Humphrey's real reason for coming here- it was to talk about Chuck Bass! Because last night at the Kiss On The Lips party where they had, well, more like _he_ had almost...

I felt a prick of jealousy and anger at her, even though it was totally unsubstantiated. "You want to know what Chuck Bass is saying about you, don't you?" I interrupted her pitiful stutterings in a hard voice.

Her face facillitated between unsure and embarrassed for a few seconds. "Is he? I mean, saying things about me?"

"Well," I replied in a haughty tone, sweeping my hair off my shoulder with the brush of a hand. "He did happen to tell me that you were the worst kisser he'd had in all of his sexual career, and that you have the body of a pre-pubescent boy." I smiled sweetly at her. "But other than that, not a word."

"Oh." She looked bewildered and yes, a little hurt, but whatever- I didn't want her thinking she could make moves on my man!

"C'mon," I rolled my eyes and smiled more genuinely at her. "You can help me get ready for the brunch."

"Okay," she agreed, already cheered up.

"Oh, and Jenny," I added as we walked up the stairs. "Just so you know, the raccoon make-up look is never a good decision. Take your lesson from J. Lo."

"Right," she answered, drawing out the word in her confusion.

Whatever.

*****

I was feeling calm, even confident when I arrived at brunch. I chose to wear the same white lace dress with black tights as I had before. But I still had yet to form any kind of plan yet, and so it seemed best to go with what had already been established. I would just go along with things until inspiration happened.

But of course nothing could happen if none of my friends were here. Which is exactly what I found when I stepped through the doors.

"Oh for goodness sakes- what the fuck?!" I cried out, turning a few heads my way, but I was too busy trying to figure out why no one was here. With a gasp I recalled that I was supposed to have called Nate earlier that day. And if I remembered right, his voice on the line had sounded extremely sleepy, and most likely he was still asleep.

I angrily punched the number one on my phone until it started dialing. He picked up on the third ring. "Hello?" His voice sounded gravelly, just like it had then.

"Nate!" I whisper-yelled through the phone. "Get up! You and Chuck are late for his father's brunch!"

"Oh, right," he yawned, sounding less than enthused.

I knew if I wanted them to get here quick, I would be forced to use other incentives. And luckily I knew exactly what Nate's Achille's heel was at the moment. "Oh, look, Serena just walked in- damn she looks hot today. Good grief, I don't think she's wearing a bra-"

"Ok! I'm coming!" Nate replied. I could hear the sounds of desperate rushing in the background.

"Just make sure Chuck comes too," I instructed before I clicked the phone shut.

Now, I had been lying about Serena being here with Nate, but then she _did_ arrive. Unfortunately with another Humphrey in tow. Standing there ever so judgmentally with possibly the worst haircut I've ever seen.

They looked awkward standing there. I took pity on them and walked up to them.

"Serena," I began in a cheery voice. "And your plus one," I ended in a not-so-cheery voice.

"Yeah, um," Serena faltered a bit as she looked between us. "Blair, this is Dan Humphrey. Dan Humphrey, Blair Waldorf."

"Charmed," I replied, sparing him a glance and a fake smile. "Or, actually not. Serena, I need to talk to you." I grabbed her hand and pulled her to the brunch table.

"What are you doing here, S? I thought you didn't want to be here?" I asked, because I remembered what had acutally happened at the brunch years ago and I so did not need that drama happening today. I had quite enough drama already.

"Ugh, my mom made me," Serena answered, grabbing a plate and starting to place some food on there. "It worked out anyway though, I guess, because it gave me an excuse to hang out with Dan again." She turned around to glance at him quickly before turning back to me. "We went out last night and, despite some weird hand waves at the end of the evening, it was great and I think I'm really into him," she gushed.

"Yeah," I said in my less-than-thrilled voice. "Let me tell you, S. Something about that boy tells me he'd bang some mousy mid-western teacher in the back of a theater room."

She looked confused. "What the hell are you talking about, B?"

"Just... nevermind. He's not as innocent as he looks, ok?"

Just then Nate walked through the doors. He looked around, searching until he found us. Or probably, until he found Serena. She looked away quickly, and as he started walking towards us, she turned to me and muttered, "I better go check on Dan."

She walked past Nate without a glance although he sure was looking at her. With a sigh he continued walking towards me, confusion on his face growing. "Blair, did I just see you talking to Serena?" he asked in a disbelieving voice.

"Oh." Oh. Damn it, I'd forgotten I was supposed to be mad at her, not even speaking to her. But I really needed her now, when my world was turned upside down! "Well, maybe... I thought things over and, I mean, it was so long ago, so...I forgive her."

He continued to stare at me, disbelief still in his eyes until it slowly turned to pleasant surprise. Maybe even awe. "Wow," he said. "Just, wow, that's really mature of you, Blair."

"Yes, well," I muttered, looking out over the crowd for Chuck. "Where is Chuck? You guys did come together, yes?"

Nate was still staring at me with that surprised expression. "Um, yeah. He was right behind me, so-"

But then he was there, stepping through the entryway in his adorable, _matching_ white tux. Oh! He looked so young! And different. His hair was shorter, and boyishly charming. His body was a little more lanky, not quite filled out yet. But he still had that magnetic, primal Bass smirk of his, and I knew it was him.

"Ok, so you can talk to Serena if you want," I said dismissively as I walked towards Chuck.

I was a few steps away before Bart intercepted him.

"Charles," he began in that disapproving voice of his.

"Father," Chuck replied, getting a scotch from one of the waiters.

"The invitation said black tie, not black eye," Bart sighed, indicating to the light bruising around Chuck's eye. Oh, I had forgotten about that! One more reason to bring down the Humphrey! "Are you okay? I mean, if you're in some kind of trouble..."

"Only of my own making," Chuck quipped with a smile. It broke my heart to see him try for more camraderie with his father.

Especially when I knew it would do no good.

As expected, Bart sighed with deep disappointment at his son. "Why do you think I do all this? Huh?" Chuck must have known this was coming too, as he took a deep drink from his scotch. "This party is for you- so you can meet people, be a part of something. Make some kind of change."

"Really?" Chuck asked sarcastically. "I thought it was another excuse for an open bar and the rehiring of the nearly nude statues."

Bart cracked a tight smile. "Do me a favor, will you? Lose the scotch. It's barely noon." With that final you-make-my-life-a-complete-disappointment tone, Bart walked away.

I just stood there, unable to move or say anything, as Chuck looked down at his scotch, almost covering the hurt expression on his face.

Then he noticed me standing there, watching him. A look of defiance came over his face.

"Enjoy the show, Waldorf?" he asked bitingly, brushing past me. Probably to go chat up some nearly-nude statue.

How had I missed this the first time? Oh, because I was too busy with my then boyfriend and the stupid drama happening there.

And I knew better than to try and comfort Chuck now. That would just drive him further from me.

But, as I looked around the room, I didn't see Nate or Serena. I was all alone and I had no clue as to what to do.

So I got a big plate of food and started hunkering down on it. Over the summer, Chuck had helped me get over a lot of my food issues, always encouraging me to eat whatever I liked. And anyway, I was like ten pounds lighter now, so I could afford a slice of cheesecake or two for breakfast.

"Well, that's certainly the most I've seen you eat in a while, Waldorf," Chuck commented smoothly as he sat down next to me. "Not that I'm complaining. A girl who enjoys the pleasures of food always has a big appetite for other pleasures as well."

I stared at him in surprise, with my napkin pressed against my mouth, hopefully wiping away all graham cracker crust crumbs.

"But, in your case, I'm betting it's because you're worried about something," he continued with that lilting voice of his. "Perhaps... Nate?"

In the past, this would have been exactly the case. Chuck Bass knew everything about anyone, and I had been no exception. He knew that I had been worried about Nate ever since Serena came back.

But all of that was totally irrelevant now.

Except for one thing. Plotting against Serena had brought Chuck and I closer together. I mean, we had always been friends before, but never too close. I guess I had been too obsessed with Nate to really care about Chuck that much. I didn't even know if he liked me at this point. He only knew me as the stuffy and cold girlfriend of his best friend.

That made me sad. I looked away from him.

"I think you know what you have to do to get his attention."

I turned back to him, while he held the key to his room in his right hand. What was I supposed to do? It's not like I could confess my love for him right now. It wouldn't do any good. Being totally open with Chuck was something that took years, and even during the summer, we'd had occasional misunderstandings beause of it. Being vulnerable was something that completely scared both Chuck and I, but in this situation, it was mainly Chuck that was the problem. His first response to honest and open communication was to run away. Or to destroy.

When something was handed to him freely with no strings attached, even something he desperately wanted, he wouldn't take it immediately. In fact to do so would make him more suspicious. He was used to getting what he wanted through more mercenary means.

So maybe I should play along with the charade of Nate and Serena, and slowly show him just who the real Blair Waldorf was. And how she's the girl he's wanted all along.

"What's that?" I asked innocently, looking at the key in his hand.

"The key to my suite, Nate's heart, and your future happiness."

I took the key with a small smile.

"I'm honored to play even a small role in your deflowering," he leered.

Oh if he only knew.

"Actually Bass," I stepped closer to him. "I need you for a larger role in it."

He smirked. "A threesome for your first time? My, my, I underestimated you, Waldorf. But count me in."

I rolled my eyes. "Not quite. But I do need your help with some lingerie choices."

I had the satisfaction of seeing his eyes widen for a second. He was probably used to saying such lewd comments to me and my prim rebuffs in return, but never an invitation like this. I of course never would have made such a suggestion back then. But, I was a different girl back then.

And, no, I wasn't planning on seducing him. Just trying to guage where I stood in his view. And implant the thought in his head.

"I mean," I added with a seductive tone, "you are an expert in this area, are you not?"

He considered for 1.5 more seconds, then took me by my elbow.

"Come, Waldorf. Let's go get you undressed for success." His eyes trailed over my form lingeringly.

I grinned widely. Well at least he'd always _wanted_ me.

****

We made our way down the hallway to his room.

"How did you even know I'd have lingerie for you to try on?" Chuck asked with a raised eyebrow.

I gulped. I had discovered the closet full of lingerie that Chuck kept when we were first having our forbidden trysts. "Nate can't keep a secret," I lied. "But, tell me, why exactly do you have a closet of lingerie to rival Victoria's Secret? Or do you have more in common with my father than I thought?"

He smirked and shook his head. "Not every girl has as impeccable taste as you, Blair."

He opened the door, letting me in first. I was about to tell him a thing or two about my taste, when I noticed we were not alone.

There stood Nate and Serena looking to be in a heated discussion.

There was total silence for a few beats as we both stared in shock at each other.

"Oh crap!" I shouted. "I totally forgot about this!"

"Blair!" Nate cried in surprise.

"Blair?" Serena repeated in confusion. "What are you doing here? With C_huck?"_

I looked at them, words failing me. Did I really need to play the bad girl now when I didn't give a care in the world what happened to them? Honestly, I'd rather give them my blessing to just do it and get it over with and leave me alone with Chuck to play dress up. Or dress down, rather.

But that would blow my entire cover, now wouldn't it? Damn it, I needed this stupid drama to get closer to Chuck.

"The question we should be asking, Serena," Chuck replied for me with his lazy drawl. "Is why are you here with Nate?"

She stiffened, and glanced away guiltily. "Nate asked me to meet him here."

"Just to talk, I swear," Nate interjected.

Everyone turned to look at me, like they expected me to say something. "Oh, um but you said you'd never speak to her again," I recited annoyedly.

Nate shot me a you-are-really-weirding-me-out-look before speaking. "I thought you said that I could talk to her- that you'd forgiven her."

"Wait, what?" Serena asked, confused. "What would Blair forgive me for?"

"Look, I told her about what happened at the Shepard wedding last year," Nate answered tiredly. Serena visibly froze. "But she said she'd forgiven us. Right?" He looked at me.

That's where my choice lay. Forgive my friends now since I didn't feel any real resentment towards them, but lose the chance to get closer to Chuck.

Of course, Chuck won out.

"Well, uh," I responded, raising my chin. "Maybe I don't forgive you as much as I thought I did."

"Blair," Serena started quietly. "You have to believe me- I don't feel anything for Nate. I mean, you know how much I told you I like Dan."

"Dan? Dan who?" Chuck asked.

"It's the guy she came with- the one who gave you that black eye," I said dismissively.

Chuck's jaw worked and his eyes flashed. "Oh, I see. You know, you two really ruined my night last night. Maybe I'll go ruin yours." With that he walked out the door.

"What's he going to do?" Serena asked, bewildered.

"Ugh, he knows too," I replied walking out the door. I'd been hoping to save us from having that disaster in the dining hall, but apparently Chuck needed revenge.

"Wait, what do you mean he knows?" Serena asked as she and Nate followed me.

"He knows about what happened at the Shepard Wedding too. He saw you guys," I explained as I punched the elevator to go down.

"How do you know about this? I just told you the other night," Nate questioned.

"Um." Chuck had actually told me this once after having sex in his limo. "I was upset, so I called Chuck."

"Oh." Nate pondered this, almost looking... jealous.

"Yes, we have very deep, meaningful conversations at night." I rolled my eyes. "Now let's go." The elevator ding announced we had arrived at the first floor.

We saw Chuck and Dan standing together, looking hostile, but not outright brawling at least. "Ah, here's the guest of honor herself," Chuck exclaimed as we came up to them, indicating to Serena. "Like I said, man, you can't judge a book by its cover. And you really should know what's underneath Serena's cover."

"Chuck!" Serena interjected. "Stop it."

"Look Serena stop trying to pretend you're a different girl," Chuck drawled. "So you slept with your best friend's boyfriend; I kind of admire you for it."

There was a beat of silence as Serena looked uncomfortably away.

"But only once!" I spoke up with a raised finger. "And on a barstool, so you know... it sounded like it was just a quickie... not that big of a deal." I jerked a thumb at Nate. "It was his first time; I give it thirty seconds tops."

Everyone turned to stare at me like I'd just gibbered in Punjabi.

"Is that true?" Dan asked. "Not about the thirty-second-bar-stool thing, uh," he paused to shoot me a TMI-my-friend look. "Did you sleep with your best friend's boyfriend?"

"Yes," Serena admitted. "And I regret it-"

"We just thought you should know," Chuck interrupted her. "Before you fall head over heels for your perfect girl in her perfect world."

It was weird how he was taking all of my lines I had said before. Like we were always on the same wavelength.

"Then get left all alone with no one but your cabbage patch doll," I finished for him quietly.

"Cabbage patch doll?" Nate repeated.

"Have you been talking to my sister?" Dan asked me.

"Ah, little Jenny," Chuck leered. "I do believe I have some unfinished business with her."

Dan stepped closer to him. "You stay away from her."

"Poor Daniel, so little time, so many _sluts_ to defend-"

With that, Dan shoved Chuck forcefully, crashing him into the waiter behind him.

The room went dead quiet as all of the pampered aristocrats stared in shock at the interruption.

"It's fine! It's fine- everyone can stop looking!" Dan yelled to the crowd. He pointed at Chuck. "He's a it's my fault, and I'm leaving."

"I'll come with you," Serena offered.

"Actually, I'd prefer it if you didn't," Mr. I'mSoMuchBetterThanAnyoneElse replied.

We all stared at each other. "Thanks a lot guys," Serena said sarcastically, turning around to leave.

"Serena- wait!" Nate called, running after her.

Chuck turned to me. "What happened to you, Waldorf?" He asked, distaste in his voice. "I had to do all that single-handedly. Where did the bitch in you go?"

He walked away.

This would never work. I was doomed.

****

Author's note: So some of you may be wondering why I put Blair back in the Sunday brunch, since she was supposed to go back to the beginning of their relationship. For the record, if we wanted to be honest about the start of their relationship, I would have put it way back further. But a) this is where the plot bunnies told me to go and b) it's more of a challenge for Chuck to say he loves her in this situation than after, say, Victor/Victrola. Anyway, just wanted to clear that up.

cavanaugh-girl: Thanks for the review. Hope you like where I've taken it. :)

Princess Persephone: Thanks for waiting!

ana-12: Glad you find it funny. :)

carolCB: Well now you found out where she was sent to. Hope you're not disappointed.

lacmurillo: Glad I made you laugh. Yeah, it will be interesting watching Blair go through all of the ways to make Chuck say I love you. She's got quite the tough situation on her hands.

TriGemini: Glad you found it interesting :)

Chole92: Me too, I think this is the humorous release I need from writing my other at-times angsty story.

GhostGirl1982:Thanks, I enjoy writing Blair's perspective this way. I don't know if I could ever write angsty Blair because she's always just so bitchy and has a whole other way of looking at things. It's like there's our world, and then there's Blair's world. And Blair's world is really funny.

chairbuck12: Darling! Thanks so much for reviewing! Again, I cannot thank you enough for giving me the inspiration to write this. But you have to finish yours- I desperately want to read it!

Up next: A school, a scarf, and an 'I love you'. :)


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: First off, thank you so much for waiting so patiently for this. Most of you probably know I was spending the time writing lots of other stories. But from now on, this one is my main focus! And I actually decided to split up this chapter because I didn't want it to be too long, and there will be a lot of stuff happening in the next chapter, which I will most likely get up tomorrow since I planned it to be a part of this chapter. Anyway, you won't have to go through such a long period of non-updates again, I promise! Reviews= love!

Chapter 3

I slithered back home, even though I knew I'd most likely be leaving Chuck to a night with a nearly-nude statue. But Blair Waldorf knew when to admit defeat, and this was just not going to be my night to shine.

I was in need of comfort, so I plopped down in front of the T.V. with my besties Lady Godiva and Orville Redenbocker and began some intense Audrey sessions. Dorota watched from afar warily, probably guessing from my food choices that the apocalypse had occurred.

And she wasn't too far off in that assumption.

Unfortunately the only conclusion I came to that night was that everyone deserved to have a musical score playing in the background of their life because it just cued _everything_. Chuck and I would have deep, romantic serenades in all our interactions; Miss Carr would have had creepy, sinister themes; Vanessa... cheap, banjo strumming... with homeless people cackling in the background...

Ugh, that was two seconds of wasted thought.

Anyway, I unfortunately woke up at about six in the morning with the end credits of Roman Holiday as my alarm clock.

"No!" I whined, hitting the soft carpet with my fists lightly. I still didn't know what to do.

Well, nothing could be properly contemplated with unwashed hair, so I hopped in the shower. I made sure to use the coconut body wash I recalled Chuck enjoying intensely when we first got together, and spent a leisurely time afterwards lathering its accompaning lotion on me and grooming myself.

I had to admit, darker hair did go so much better with my complexion.

I really loved the nail color I had on.

And _damn_ but I have a nice ass!

I spent a good hour getting everything perfect, and then walked downstairs for breakfast. I gulped down my yogurt and fruit smoothie with granola topping as Dorota watched me with a stunned expression, the tray in her hands trembling slightly.

"Thanks D," I said breezily, setting the empty cup on the silver tray and grabbing my school bag.

"Have good day, Miss Blair," she replied stutteringly.

I walked out onto the streets and the pretty scenery and balmy wind did raise my spirits. Well so what if I didn't know exactly how to do this, it would work out. Chuck and I were meant to be, of course things will just naturally fall into place.

I arrived at school and saw a circle of girls with my matching attire waiting for me expectantly.

Minions! Okay, I admit, I had kind of missed my minions over the summer, if only for ordering around purposes.

"Blair," Penelope smiled at me cattily. "Could your morning routines be any longer?"

"Not as long as your chin, Leno," I replied.

I'd _always_ wanted to say that to her!

She looked away, simpering.

"Waldorf," a deep, sexy voice whispered in my ear. I closed my eyes for a moment, just to enjoy it while I could.

Then I opened my eyes and saw my minions looking at me like I just wolfed down a Krispy Kreme.

I reluctantly shoved away from the warm presence behind my back and put on a haughty stare. "What do you want, Bass?"

Oh dear. He was wearing his trademark scarf. The one he wore all the time until I stole it from him right before we went to Tuscany. And then I burned it (though I allowed myself to keep one square of it for nostalgia).

And his hair was perfectly styled, and his eyes were ambery-brown in the morning, and his lips were pouty, and-

"I'm giving you another chance to utilize my help in bringing Serena down," he told me, conceit oozing in his perfect, manly voice.

I sighed. I wasn't going to go down that road until absolutely necessary. I well remembered the next horrible thing I did to Serena. And most especially to Eric.

"I've decided that whole situation is beneath me, Chuck."

"Well, well, Constance welcomes Mother Teresa as her new Queen," he commented derisively. "You are definitely losing your evil streak. And it doesn't suit you at all. That was the one thing I liked about you, Waldorf."

"I am not," I disputed haughtily. "I'm simply concentrating my efforts on other, more deserving victims."

"And who would that be?"

I scanned my mind for a possible enemy. I mean, it was all well and good that I was protecting Serena, but that's about as far as my goodwill went. Anyone else was total fodder.

Oh. Well looky there. The perfect target.

"Nelly Yuki," I pronounced, spying her across the yard.

Chuck raised an eyebrow, following my glare to the girl. "Nelly I-have-negative-eight-point-seventy-five-prescription-glasses Yuki?"

"She has perfect grades, outstanding extra-curriculars, multiple services to the community, _and_ minority status." I narrowed my eyes. "And she has her thick-glasses-covered eyes set on my Yale."

"And just what are you proposing we do about it?"

I smiled widely. This was proving better than I would have ever thought. Not that it would make a difference in the long run, but still it would be fun to take that bitch down while I could. "Get her to make a mistake- something to go on her permanent record."

He smirked widely and his eyes drifted upward, considering. I recognized that look...

I held up a finger. "And no sex!" I warned him.

He pouted his lips. "Well that just takes away ninety percent of my ideas, Waldorf."

"No," I shook my head in disgust, trying to keep any mental pictures away. "Why would you even _want_ to?"

He lowered his head closer to mine and winked. "It's the bookish types that get really wild." His gaze ran over me.

I was about to be flustered at his closeness, but then- wait a second, was he calling me a nerd?!

I smacked him hard on his arm and he drew back, rubbing it like he enjoyed the pain.

"You see? All that pent-up frustration, that _need_ for achievement-"

"Shut up!" I can't believe he thought I could at all be compared to Nelly Yuki. I _hated_ him, that stupid, pompous true love of my life. "You're going to do this my way or you're not going to do it at all!"

His eyebrows furrowed in disdain. "Who said I would even help you? I don't see anything in it for me, especially if there's no sex."

I paused for a bit, unsure of what to say. Honestly I just needed an excuse to spend more time with him, let him get to know me. Trying to sound casual, I proposed, "let's make it a bet."

He didn't say anything but raised a slightly interested eyebrow.

I smiled back prettily, folding my hands behind me and swinging my shoulders a bit.

"If I win, I get your scarf."

His hand shot up to the knot of his scarf, worried as if I would take it away right then.

"For the day," I amended generously.

He looked significantly relieved.

"What do I get if I win?"

I looked at him, cocking my head to the side. "What do you want?"

He smirked, and I almost smacked his arm again in response. It was starting to be a natural reaction again to the incoming smarm.

"How about you wear my scarf... and nothing else?" he leered.

Sigh... if only...

And he didn't fully know it yet, but he _adored_ me in his scarf. Sexiest thing to him, second only to being totally naked.

I smoothed my skirt, looking down. "I somehow don't think that Nate would appreciate that. How about I give you that lingerie show I talked about before?"

He pursed his lips as if considering. Really, I think he was just giving himself an imaginary pre-show in his mind.

"I suppose that will do," he agreed. "For now," he added with a smirk.

"Fine," I said, trying to sound business-like. "Time's up at lunch."

"Oh I don't think so, Waldorf." He shook his head back and forth. "If you hadn't noticed, we go to seperate schools. You'll have classes all morning with her, and I won't. How do you expect me to get her in trouble, especially without my best skills?"

"We have morning meeting together, don't we?" I reminded him sweetly. "But, if you don't think you can do it..." I shrugged.

He sighed, sounding annoyed. "Deal," he agreed.

I was about to turn away, proud of my accomplishment, when he called out.

"Oh and Waldorf?"

I turned my face and found his lips at my ear. "I enjoy the color red on you," he whispered.

I couldn't help but shiver and I felt my cheeks warm. I think my mouth was open, gaping like a fish.

"Something to keep in mind," he explained, looking amused by my expression. "For the show later on."

He walked away jauntily. I know I was supposed to tell him snarkily that he wouldn't win. But I was rather hoping that he would.

Either way, I was _so_ winning this.

That's when I saw Nate watching me, confusion etched on his face.

tbc


	4. chapter 4

A/N: I guess it's only appropriate that I put this in here: apparently I'm the devil because on this last Friday the 13th, I got 666 hits to my stories. :)

Chapter 4

Nate stared at me for a couple of seconds with that confused expression still on his face. But then, perhaps a better word to describe it would be hurt.

He did have the world's worst guilt-inducing puppy dog look _ever_.

I cleared my throat and walked over to him. "Nate," I began hesitantly. "Hi."

"Blair," he started, grasping my elbow as we started walking towards the main school building. "I tried to call you all yesterday- where were you?"

"Oh." When I get in an Audrey zone, I really get in the zone. "I was busy...studying." Totally true.

"Blair," he expelled my name in frustration. "What the hell happened yesterday? You told me you'd forgiven me and Serena for what happened, and then you team up with Chuck to humiliate her?"

I sighed loudly, bringing us to a stop. Was it worth going through this whole ordeal with Nate again? Did I really even need him at all for this? "You know Archibald, the thing is- I'm a bitch. I was born a bitch, and I'll die a bitch. I like myself the way I am, and if you don't want me like this, then we shouldn't be together at all."

He stared at me in shock. I suppose that's not the kind of thing Blair Waldorf would ever say two years ago, but that's what this Blair Waldorf would say. "What are you saying? I-"

I held up a hand tiredly. "No, just... mull it over during one of your pot sessions, okay? Or play a few rounds of Halo, I'm sure that will all clear it up for you. We need to get to morning assembly now."

I refused to look at another hurt-puppy-dog look on his face again and began walking towards the main hall. The front aisles were already filled with students but, of course, my minions had saved me a choice spot. I disbanded from Nate and made my way over to them.

Just seconds later the headmistress and headmaster stood up at the front of the hall. "Welcome everyone. We hope you had a restful weekend because, as you all remember, today is the start of Ivy Week. This is especially important for our Junior class, as they will be readying themselves for exams and college applications near the end of this school year. This week, we want you all to take a careful review of the universities being highlighted and..."

My mind wandered for a bit- probably the first time it had ever happened during a school assembly, and especially one about college. But, none of this really mattered now, though God knew I should earn brownie points towards college credit for going through this whole ordeal (I hope you're listening St. Peter). What was important though was winning this bet from Chuck. I mean sure, if I did lose, it wouldn't be entirely horrible since we'd then get to have some fun lingerie party, but the point was to show him the qualities that had made him fall in love with me. And he'd always- even when I was a five year old brat scheming for a pretty pony from my daddy- enjoyed my manipulative side.

I scanned across the boys' side of the hall to find him. He was sitting near the end, as he usually did, looking down and so obviously not paying attention. I admired the choppy sweep of his bangs for a few seconds before he looked to the side and smirked. My heart started palpitating wildly until I realized he wasn't smirking at me, but the person behind me.

I turned around to glare at whoever the slut must be and found myself staring into the bespectacled murky brown eyes of Nelly Yuki. She was gigging, looking down at her cell phone, and then turning to look back at Chuck. He winked at her.

Whatever expression I had on my face when she turned back immediately rained on her giggle parade. "Um, Blair?" she whispered in slight trepidation.

I saw from the corner of my eye Chuck settling more into his seat, the picture of smugness.

Bastard.

I drew myself up a little. "If you don't mind, some of us need to listen to this lecture, and not just bank on society's stereotypes towards certain gene pools to get into college."

I enjoyed a second of her open-mouthed gaping and then turned back to the presentation.

Ooh, but he was a quick one. I was so going to have to step up my game.

Thankfully, my ancestors weren't part of the aristocracy for centuries for nothing.

I bided my time until the assembly was over and then made my way swiftly to the school's computer lab. On the way over I saw Chuck sidle up to little miss Mulan wannabe, but I ignored that. I had a devious plan to enact.

It was so useful to know the future. I distinctly recalled that in December of the supposed year I was in, a large scandal had been brought to national attention. A website was discovered with students offering their services to take the SATs for others at a hefty fee. The website had been running for several months undetected since the front page was in the disguise of landscape company.

So with a few typed words on Google and a click of the mouse, I entered the website and added a new recruit. This was exactly why I demanded knowing all present and former email passwords of all my minions because who knew when such information would be useful in nefarious plots against them? Two hundred words of a pristine profile and an email confirmation later, and Nelly Yuki looked like a stellar candidate for standard academic testing prostitution. I printed out the pages, sifted them neatly and made my way to first period class, just fifteen minutes late.

"Miss Waldorf?" my English teacher called from the front of class. "This I believe is your first time being late to class. Is anything wrong?"

Ah, sweet Constance and the teachers that worshiped me (barring a certain dowdy import from Iowa, of course). I had so often wondered why its simple rules of social hierarchy did not extend beyond its lovely granite walls. What was so wrong about a society ruled by nepotism and old money anyway? This was simply how the world _had_ and _should_ be run.

"I'm sorry, Miss Brunner," I answered repentantly as I took my seat. "I'm just so nervous about getting into my dream college- it made me sick for awhile."

The old woman smiled. "You see girls, this is how you should all feel towards college preparations- sick with anticipation."

There was a collective gulp amongst the students.

Ms. Brunner's smile widened over her fake teeth and her eyes crinkled at me in a way that could never be reversed with plastic surgery. "Though Miss Waldorf, I don't think you have anything to worry about. You are one of our best students after all."

I had to stop myself before correcting her with a strident "THE best, thank you ma'am." You see, I had really matured since then (however, let it be noted, Ms. Queller did call me the shining star of Constance later on that year).

"Alright," the old teacher clapped her hands together. "Well, it's very good that you came now as we're just about to start our quiz on the last act we read of The Glass Menagerie. Please put away your things; it should last for the rest of the period."

She handed out the quizzes and instructed us to "commence." I filled out the answers easily enough, adding a dash of senior year AP English psychoanalysis skills to the character of Laura Wingfield, just because I can. When the teacher told us to put our pencils down, I immediately volunteered to collect the tests.

And somehow a few sheets with an advertisement for SAT pimping by a fellow student found themselves near the top of the stack when they were placed on Ms. Brunner's desk.

All was quiet though out Calculus. Not a peep was heard throughout Physics.

It was only once the lunch bell rang that Gossip Girl dispatched a new blast.

**Come one, come all- Nelly Yuki's got herself quite the haul. Whether you need help getting a high score on a test, or you just need help getting _high_, our girl's got it in spades. Of course, you'll need to search her on the DL, since we don't think we'll be seeing her at Constance anymore.** **Drug possession and test prostituting will do that to you, unfortunately**.** Nice knowing you, N!**

**You know you love me. XOXO Gossip Girl**

I smiled satisfactorily to myself all the way to the MET steps, ignoring the endless chatter of fellow students and minions around me, and plunked down eagerly for lunch. When I saw that it was a small container of yogurt I was slightly less enthused.

"I won."

I raised my head to see the Chuck Basstard standing smugly a few steps from me. I quirked an eyebrow at him and stood up to walk down to his level.

"Oh I don't think so," I countered, gratification in my accomplishment oozing out of my mouth. "You cheated. I win."

He crossed his arms. "How so?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I saw you two during the morning meeting. I said no sex!"

He rolled his eyes. "I didn't have sex with her- I do have standards, thank you."

I snorted- but it was a delicate, ladylike one. "What are they- anything that moves except the elderly, disabled, and people I tell you not to have sex with?"

He considered it for a second. "Well yes, but how old are we talking about for the elderly? Because I've heard fifty is the new forty."

I smacked his chest for general grossness. Good grief, why did I love this man?

He smirked at me like he enjoyed it. "No, all I actually did was ask her after the assembly if she could help me study later on. Now if I happened to butter her up with compliments while slipping a few perfectly rolled joints into her coat pocket unbeknownst to her," he shrugged. "So be it..."

I shook my head at him. "That's so simple anyone could have done it- mine was much more creative!"

He brought up a finger to waggle at me. "Simple yet effective. And you're only jealous because you didn't have access to such commodities- which is your own fault because you won't try it. I will agree that your idea was out of the box, however it was over the top and complicated." He frowned at me. "And you've taken away some of my best candidates for taking the SATs for me."

I tapped my foot against the concrete steps for a few seconds. "Fine- both ideas won in the end, so why not a tie?"

"Do both individual prizes get awarded then?" he asked suspiciously.

I sighed, looking upward, as if I really had to consider it. "I suppose..."

His familiar leering glint came into his eyes. The one I learned meant he was undressing me in his mind.

I grinned in victory, and wrapped a hand around the end of his scarf. "But I get mine first," I insisted.

He reluctantly untangled his precious accessory from his neck, but instead of simply handing it to me- he tied it around me himself, fingers brushing against my neck and collarbone, adjusting it so that it looked just right.

My body was growing slightly flushed from his touch, but I grew even more flustered when I looked up to see him staring at me.

He was looking at me in a way that I had become very accustomed to, with soft crinkled eyes and a small smile playing on his lips. It had always made me a little weak in the knees and my heartbeat speed in my chest.

"What do you think?" I asked lightly, preening for him a bit.

His fingers were still playing with the scarf, but as he looked into my eyes, he brought them up to slowly draw them along my chin in an affectionate gesture.

"I think it looks good on you, Waldorf," he observed in that deep, rumbling voice of his.

Something was passing between us in that second- something so familiar, so natural,so indefinably _us_. I was sure that he would simply wrap me tight in his embrace and kiss me soundly, as he so usually would and nothing in the world would stop me from allowing it to happen.

But he turned away and started walking down the steps. "I'll be by later to collect," he called out over his shoulder.

I stood there, watching him walk back to the school courtyard, my heart palpitating hard in my chest. I was so happy in this moment because it was just so obvious- he did have feelings for me before we ever got together. I recognized that look in his eyes, I'd seen it all the time over the summer. It was the look that said I was sexy and amazing and special.

It was the look that said he loved me.

It was just a few minutes after that, and ignoring questions from arbitrary minions, before the bell rang and we began walking back towards school. I was still walking on cloud nine and couldn't help but look for Chuck. I found him amongst a group of other guys, they were laughing about something. But as I came closer, his eye caught mine and he gave me his oh so well-known and wonderful Chuck Bass wink.

And that just decided things for me right then and there.

I started striding towards him, distantly hearing Nate call out my name from behind me, but I ignored it. I came right up to him on the steps of the school and spoke loud.

"I love you."

Around us the school grounds went deadly silent.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Did I mention that this is going to be a very long story? Well it is...

Chapter 5

Chuck's face was still as a statue as everyone stared at us. My declaration had silenced them for a second, until slowly the crowd around us started hooting and hollering. As the slow realization of what I'd done seeped through my consciousness, I felt my entire body go red.

Chuck's expression finally loosened and his familiar smarmy smile crept back into place. He patted me on my head patronizingly. "You know, somehow," he began in that lazy Bass drawl. "I always knew, Waldorf. But you might have thought to tell Nate first." He gestured over past my shoulder at something.

I turned around to see Nate running up to our happy little friend circle. He looked confused and... jealous. "Blair! What are you doing?!" he asked, trying to keep his voice low and taking me by my arm.

"You might want to increase your girlfriend's Paxil, Nate. She's acting a little funny," Chuck added, rolling his eyes while the guys around him guffawed loudly.

I stared at him for a few more seconds, outrage and hurt on my face, before letting Nate take me away. I could see everyone looking at us, most laughing and some staring in complete shock. Maybe now was the time to step in front of a big fluorescent jeep again.

Nate pulled me into one of the hallways which was less occupied.

"Blair- what the hell was that?" he exclaimed.

I could only blink at him. "I don't know what I was thinking..." My voice barely came out.

The students were filing into the corridor now, the bell having rung several minutes ago. People whispered as they passed by us.

I didn't want to deal with this anymore.

"I need to go to class," I stated, beginning to move away from him.

He grabbed my arm before I was out of reach. "You know what Blair, maybe you're right and we shouldn't be together anymore. Not if you're going to act like this." With that he strode down the hall.

I didn't care so much about Nate, but it certainly didn't help having _another_ person insult me.

I made my way numbly to class. Of course when I entered everyone stared at me and an immediate silence fell (automatically showing that I was the subject of all previous conversations).

I turned on my heel and walked out of the building. I had never skipped class before, but I would make an exception now considering I was about to have an emotional breakdown.

When I arrived at home, Dorota sputtered in surprise to see me. I only told her to draw me a bath and made my way up to my room.

When there was sufficient amounts of warm water tinged pink with oils and perfumes from Dior, Dorota left me to myself. I sat back in the tub, letting my head roll back so I could stare at the ceiling. I cupped some of the bubbles in my hands and blew at them so they shot into the air and then drifted down like snowflakes. It was diverting for a few seconds.

And then I settled deeper into the warm water, clapping my wet hands over my eyes tightly and letting a tortured moan escape my mouth. What was _wrong_ with me? I had acted like such an idiot and very well may have ruined my chances all together today, and even now I didn't have a solution or plan for how to attempt to correct things.

I suppose the problem was that I was too used to the Chuck I knew- the Chuck who was a romantic and had pined for me for so long even when I didn't do anything to deserve it.

That was not this Chuck. The problem was that I didn't really know this Chuck- not in the romantic sense at least. Of course we'd known each other most of our lives and he'd been my good scheming partner for a long time, but I certainly was never ruminating the aspects of his soul or anything at the time. As a matter of fact, before that night at Victrola, I'm sure I thought that he had no soul at all. He was simply the perverted, oversexed best friend of my boyfriend- good for manipulation, but not containing normal human emotions.

Obviously I had been wrong, but still- I never really looked at him properly until the night that he did actually reveal some human feelings. And it had still boggled my mind that he was doing all of these things- comforting me after my break-up with Nate, pursuing me so insistently right away, buying me my most wished-for, and most expensive, birthday present. Even after the weeks of our affair and with how much time I spent with him, when I ran to Nate at Cotillion, I told myself that it wasn't wrong because he was Chuck Bass, and it had never been more than a way to get sex for him anyway.

The point was- how did that person come about? He was so obviously different before; if I had given him my little 'I love you' declaration during our affair, maybe he would have run off eventually, but I actually think he might have reacted well in the beginning. I had treated him badly from the start, carelessly cruel to really an innocent boy, and had I been more receptive from the start, things may have gone more easily. But really that boy had been born over night.

Because, while certainly today's mishap was over the top, who was to say he wouldn't have a similar reaction to anything conventional like that at this point? If I simply broke up with Nate, walked up to him and told him that I liked him and wanted to go out- how would he react?

Worst case scenario: laugh in my face because the idea of him, not to mention us two, dating is beyond ridiculous

Best case scenario: hops a plane to Monaco because he's scared of the _emotions_ this provokes. (my brain screamed at me, "Hello- remember Tuscany? Been there, done that!")

If I could just find the key to that night, I could make it all work. I knew what I had done wrong once our affair began, and I could correct all that. The problem only lay in enabling that new Chuck to come out.

What was it about that night? I was certain it couldn't have just been the sex- amazing as it was, I know enough about the dynamic of our relationship to know it wasn't only about sex. And if I simply cornered him in some darkened hallway of Constance and had my way with him apropos of nothing- who was to say that he'd come running for more in the morning? Maybe I would just be another girl to him, another lay he'd scored for the night.

Afterall, though it later became a hindrance to our relationship, the "game" of it was fairly important component. He chased me because I didn't want him- one of the few girls who didn't. That's what made me different. And yet, obviously I had hurt him by acting so coldly, making him more reticent about expressing himself openly and triggering his fears of intimacy even more. Where was the balance- if there was one?

Not to mention, I'd always thought I held a sense of "forbidden fruit" for him. Not that he never seduced girls who were already in relationships, but he'd always had to hold off on me if only for his respect of Nate. And then, also, maybe it was because I was so vigilant about keeping my virginity, and I'd held the fascination of being "untouched".

Was it the location, the time, or all of the tiny factors that had come to a culmination that night? Was it because I had just broken up with Nate and he'd been waiting to make his move, or simply because he'd finally seen the free and unleashed Blair Waldorf that night?

I felt a sob rising into my throat because I honestly didn't know and it was terrifying to think what would happen if I failed.

Things would have been so perfect, so easy, if I could have just been sent to that night. I cursed that stupid St Peter and his horrible white gown for sending me to what was so obviously an impossible time.

And maybe this was fate's way of showing me that Chuck and I weren't meant to be. That it was a jumble of circumstances that put us together in the first place and that, had I lived long enough, we wouldn't have ever made it.

I allowed myself to sob quietly in the tub for a time, feeling hopeless and certain to fail.

A half hour later, I sat up suddenly, making the water in the tub splash onto the floor around me. Well if I didn't get sent to that time, I could just create it! So what if I couldn't understand the underlying factors behind his falling for me, I knew the time and outside influences and those were all within my power.

There had been a magic in that night, and even if I didn't understand the cause of it, I could do my best to recreate it. I would stay with Nate, inspire Chuck to buy Victrola, and the night he opened it would be the night everything fell into place. Just like the last time.

I got out of the tub and dried myself off. Dorota brought in a snack for me which I munched on. I decided to stay in my robe because it felt comfy and I needed comfort still.

That was when I heard announced from downstairs, "Miss Blair- Mr. Chuck to see you!"

Oh god.

My hair was still slightly wet when I walked down the stairs. He was standing at the bottom of them, looking up at me with his typical smirk. I tried my best to control the hyperventilation of my heart, reminding myself that there was a 97.9% chance that he was not here to tell me he loved me, nor even ask me out on a date. Perhaps he was here to hand deliver my Paxil prescription with some more personal jibes and recommendations for psychotherapy.

It wasn't until I reached his level that I noticed the slight hesitance in his eyes.

"So..." he began with a smile, drawing it out as he studied me carefully. "I'm here for my appointment."

I paused, wondering what he could mean, until his eyes pointedly did a once over along my robe-clad body and I realized he was here for a strip show.

And for once, the thought did not excite me.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. "I don't feel like it just now. If you don't recall, I had a bad day."

I walked over to the living room and sat down on the couch. I had to do something to keep myself occupied as I waited in dread for his reaction.

He ambled over slowly, hands in his pockets. "Yes, I've been meaning to talk to you about that."

I tapped my fingers on the couch, looking down because I was too afraid. Finally when the awkward silence became too much I forced myself to look up at him.

"Your little declaration earlier," he paused, the corners of his lips turning up and looking at me from the corner of his eyes. "Did it have a point?"

God, he was cryptic. I couldn't tell at all what _his_ point was. His voice was light, with the caressing cadences he used so often. He didn't sound like he cared, but it felt like his eyes were watching me closely. Was it because he was personally interested or because he was looking for ulterior motives?

I hesitated, looking away from him- part of me feeling like I should stick by my declaration and part of me feeling like I should stick by my newly made plan.

But no, in the choice between going rogue and going with proven methods, Blair Waldorf always abides by the safest and secure routes.

I turned my face up to look at him. "Yes, it did." I straightened my dress slightly and huffed out a big breath of air. "Sorry, but you know how Nate's been acting, and I wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine."

He blinked at me, still with that lopsided smile in place. "So you used me then?" he asked in a pleasant tone.

I nodded, and tried to keep my voice light. "To create jealousy, yes." I swallowed. "I hope you don't mind."

He walked over and sat on the couch next to me. He left a fairly large amount of space between us, however.

"Not at all," he replied smoothly, clearing his throat just a little. "I wouldn't have expected anything less." Was it my imagination that made me see the slightest tightening of his jaw? It was too quick to tell.

He let out a long breath and leaned back into the seat. "But really Waldorf, it's just like I said, sex is the key to every man's heart. You don't need to play these jealousy games with him, just give the man what he wants finally."

I couldn't help but ask with slight sarcasm, "So all the girls you sleep with have the key to your heart, Bass?"

He smiled, and I wanted to closely watch his expression, but he kept his eyes forward. "They would if I had one."

I knew he was trying for nonchalance then, but I certainly knew enough about him to know that this had always been a struggle for him. The idea of whether or not he was even capable of love, or even deserved it. It was the same reason he'd left me with that note after his father died.

I wished I could draw him into my arms or even simply hold his hand (he _loved_ holdings hands once he finally got over the embarrassment of doing it), but obviously that wasn't going to work if I was going to be Nate's prim girlfriend for awhile. Maybe I couldn't be nice in action, but I could be nice in words.

"Maybe you don't know what your capable of yet, Chuck."

He turned to look at me and though his face was the picture of patronization, I could see in his eyes a real curiosity there. "I don't believe my ears- Blair Waldorf telling Chuck Bass that he's capable of more than one emotion?"

I almost winced from his assessment of what I thought of him. I studied my toe as I replied. "Maybe you want something more and you don't even know it."

When he said nothing, I looked up to see him smirking at me, though this time it may have been closer to a smile. It was a nice, soft moment between us.

"You're right," he conceded, folding his hands behind his head with a grin. "Actually, I've really been looking for a girl who can give the world's best blow job."

I should have seen that coming.

I stood up and started walking away.

"I'm also looking for an affectionate set of quintuplets," he called out after me.

I pressed the elevator button, unsubtly signaling for him to leave. He sauntered over to me, though taking his time.

I put my hands on my hips and glared at him. "Business ventures, Bass. I was referring to business ventures."

He looked considerably puzzled and amused by this. "I'm sorry, you must be confusing me with the older, even less human Bass- aka my father."

"Some things just naturally run in the family," I shrugged lightly. The elevator doors slid open.

"Let's all hope for my sake that that isn't true," he grumbled.

"Oh c'mon," I teased, pushing him into the elevator. "As if you've never thought about the kind of club you'd want to buy before."

He stared at me in surprise before the doors closed on him, and I could almost see the lightbulb go off above his head.

I smiled slightly as I walked back up the stairs, my mood considerably lightened.

There was hope.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated this is in so long. I will definitely try to balance updates between this and Responsibility from now on. Thank you for your patience.

Chapter 6

I had a job to do when Chuck left the house. One that I was so not looking forward to.

I had to get back together with Nate Archibald.

Thankfully I had my knowledge of our second time together that really enabled me to understand the parts of me that drew him in. We were both more mature then, and I was a little less petty. And of course from my time with Chuck I had become less demanding and strict.

I only needed him until Chuck got Victrola going and then who cared, but during this time I would need to make sure I was a sufficient enough girlfriend.

So I got dressed and hailed a cab when I walked outside. The trip over was short but allowed me time to become a little nervous about what I had to do. If I failed, well it would just ruin everything.

When I arrived, the Archibalds' maid kindly seated me in the foyer to wait. Nate arrived only a few minutes after, slowly and with a look of trepidation in his eyes.

"Hi," I began, my voice cracking a little awkwardly.

He put his hands behind his back, not moving from his spot against the doorway. "What do you want, Blair?" he asked a little tiredly.

I got up from the sofa and walked over to stand in front of him. I looked down and threaded my hands together in front of me prettily.

"Okay, so I'm sorry about what happened today, but also how I've acted before. I know that I have been very immature up to this point," I looked up at him with big saucer-eyes. "But, I'm trying to change."

He only looked at me, his expression unchanging.

I sighed. "So, I have an idea: let's have a fresh, new start. I won't demand you come to my house everyday after school or match with my clothes at every social even or any of that kind of stuff. We can just do what we want."

He was still watching me with disbelief, but it looked to be slowly lifting.

"Where is this coming from?" he asked, but I noticed he came a little closer to me.

I shrugged. "I had a pretty big life-changing event recently."

His eyebrows raised in confusion. "Which was?"

I faltered for a bit. "It was just a girl thing." I glanced up at him, but he still looked questioning. "During my period."

That shut him up good.

I started to walk to the door. "Well anyway, I guess I can just let you think about it for awhile if you want."

"Blair," he called out when my hand touched the handle. I looked over to see him still standing there. "I have noticed- how you've changed, I mean."

He meant it as a compliment I knew and so the only thing to say was, "Thanks."

He looked down. "Maybe we can make it work."

I smiled in relief. "Okay."

And then I closed the door.

Instead of going home I asked the taxi driver to take me over to Serena's. I still hadn't talked to her since the Bass brunch on Sunday, and she was probably still mad at me.

Perhaps it would be sticking more closely to history if I pretended to be mad at her. But I needed her more as a friend and I didn't really think that had any impact on the starting of my and Chuck's relationship.

When I got to their suite the maid showed me to her room. I knocked softly and when she opened the door, she only stared at me, saying nothing.

"I'm sorry!" I broke out, tears in my voice.

That melted her defenses. She quickly gathered me in her arms. "Oh B- what happened today? Why on earth would you tell Chuck Bass you loved him?"

I considered for a second telling her everything. Well, maybe not everything because she would definitely think I was a crazy person, but the more important truths like I no longer cared for Nate and was indeed madly in love with Chuck. But that would most likely complicate things.

So I cried in her arms and told her rambled on about how silly I had been to do something so stupid and how Nate would never forgive me for it. It as a good release anyway, and by the end of it we were definitely still friends.

I ended up staying at her house for the night, and it felt almost like old times. When we were getting ready for school the next day, I grew a little nervous again.

"Don't worry, B," Serena assured me. "Everything will work out."

We walked to school and met up with Penelope, Iz and Kati. I could feel everyone staring at me.

"So B-" Penelope started brusquely. "Now that you're in love with Chuck, I can go after Nate, right? Although, I have to say, you obviously downgraded."

She smiled icily at me, obviously intending it to be an insult. Except that _everyone_ knew she really did have a thing for Nate.

"And have him go from me to you? I asked, raising my eyebrows at her. "Don't you think _that_ would be a downgrade?"

She stared daggers at me, but I just swept my hair to the side. "The incident yesterday was all for Nate; I most certainly have no feelings for Chuck Bass."

I regaled them with my disastrous plan and how it made Nate and I stronger than ever. It may not have been totally true but it appeased them.

The whole day I barely saw either Chuck or Nate and I told myself that it didn't matter. Certainly with Nate the more distance the better, but with Chuck I definitely missed at least the camaraderie we could have. But, I had my credibility to establish once again and that meant I couldn't be following him around.

After school was an entirely different story of course.

When I got home, I had a snack- from Dorota who was still completely weirded out by such behavior- and then decided to send a text to Chuck.

**Lingerie show. My house. Now.**

And, as if by magic, 10 minutes later he was at my house.

He did look a little frazzled when he stepped out of the elevator doors.

"This better be good, Waldorf," he said, slightly grumpy.

"Why? Did I interrupt something in your plans for today?" I asked innocently, batting my eyelashes at him as we walked up the stairs.

He did not look amused. "Actually, if you come across a six foot Brazilian model named Manuella- you might want to stay away," he admitted.

Ah, so that's why he was in such a pissy mood. And it was just the thing to lighten my mood considerably.

"You chose a lingerie party with me over sex with a foreign model? I'm honored, Bass..." I teased.

"Technically, I tried to take a raincheck, but she somehow took offense," he explained in a growl. "You owe me a notch on my bedstand, Waldorf."

"I'll try to compensate," I promised.

I led him to my bedroom, walked to my closet and opened my drawer of lingerie.

I turned to him. "I thought I would let you choose."

He raised an eyebrow, a slow smirk growing.

"Being as you are an expert," I explained lightly.

It was really quite amazing how this immediately lightened his mood. With a finger tapping against his lips he judiciously considered each piece.

"This one," he decided, placing a red garment onto the bed sheets. It was definitely racy- it could barely be called a nightie since the material only consisted of criss-crossing stripes which hid only the most intimate body parts.

Knew he'd go for that one.

"And also this," he added a black corset with panels of sheer lace and matching underwear. The panty, it should be noted, was a thong.

No surprise there.

He had been watching my face for each option and I was sure that he thought I should be protesting each piece for overt raunchiness. When he saw my calm, polite expression, he looked almost confused and then brought out another choice.

"But, I'm sure you want it to be special, so for that..." he unfolded it so I could see.

I could only stare at him.

It was the same negligee I had worn that night. The one made with shimmering silver silk and lace on the edges. The one he'd slipped slowly off my shoulders, in his limo with the dancing glow from passing streetlights, to reveal my bare skin for the first time....

I had to turn away.

"Well, I thought it was classy," he said, mockingly petulant. "But if you're going to react like that, you probably shouldn't be having sex, Waldorf."

"It's not that," I protested, wiping at my eyes and turning back to him. "I'll add it to the pile."

I took the pieces he'd picked into my arms and slipped behind the large, ornate dressing screen in my room. I was just unbuttoning the top of my shirt, when I felt the need to look behind me.

He was standing there, hands in his pockets, watching with a very satisfied smirk on his face.

I smacked him on the shoulder and pointed to the bed. "Get over there," I instructed.

He slowly ambled his way over. "C'mon, you said you'd give me a show, Waldorf," he teased. "In fact, if you want, I think we should just have a full on dress rehearsal- role play and everything. Of course, I have to warn you- you'll have to readjust when the real thing happens as Nate's dick is much smaller than mine."

Sadly, it was true.

Oh dear. I wasn't going to lie- I was very, very tempted to do just that right then. But, I had an already established plan that I knew worked, and so I had to stick with it.

So, in order to prevent the oral description of any more temptation-inducing ideas he might have, I chose at that moment to place my bright pink lace bra over the edge of the screen. That seemed to shut him up for a few seconds.

"As much as I would love to hear more of that little fantasy of yours, Bass-" and well, the truth was _I would_- "you seem to be distracted now," I finished in a drawl, as I dropped my matching underwear onto the screen. It however quickly slipped off the wall and onto my bedroom floor.

I heard the bed creak and peeked out in time to see him pick up the panties in his hand. "I'm not giving it back, Waldorf," he warned me with a leer. He then edged his head closer to the screen, as if trying to get a better look. "Unless you want to fight me for them..."

"Get back on the bed or no show at all!" I proclaimed, glaring at him until he did so.

I slipped into the red striped one, slid into some heels, and sauntered out.

His eyes ran over me darkly, and had this actually been me two years ago, I would have found it excruciatingly unnerving. But hell, I knew I looked fantastic and there was simply no reason to hide this fact.

"What do you think?" I asked when he remained quiet.

His eyes ran over my figure a few more times and then he simply nodded. "Nice."

Had I still been that insecure girl, I would have taken great offense at this and immediately equated the word "nice" with "horrible", "ugly", and "bonerkill". But I knew those eyes, and the way that when Chuck Bass was truly impressed, he reverted to understatements.

I turned around, displaying the plunging back of the lingerie with a small red bow sitting on the top of my tailbone. "If you pull the bow there it unravels the whole thing."

I had the satisfaction of seeing his fingers twitch.

"Clever, isn't it?" I smiled at him innocently.

"Mm," he agreed, looking away. He crossed his legs, shifting away slightly.

I swung my hips jauntily as I walked back behind the screen. "Of course that means you can only use it once, but I guess that's what you would expect."

He remained quiet and I took that as a good sign. I flung the discarded material over the screen and decided to try another tactic.

"Have you been thinking about what I said yesterday?"

"Perhaps..."

Stupid cryptic egomaniac that I adored.

"And?" I pressed.

"And I've been considering some venues."

I didn't remember this. Honestly, the first time I became aware that Chuck Bass wanted anything to do with business was when he showed me the club himself. Of course, he had wanted to keep such a thing secret- to avoid any embarrassment if he failed. But then I had taken such pride later on that I had been the first he had shared it with. Obviously that meant he trusted me with something, even back then.

"Well, obviously you need something new and different," I told him, as I started clasping together the corset. "But also, it should be something that reflects _you- _that has your style and taste."

"Debauchery and licentiousness?" he offered drily.

Well, yes. Victrola definitely had that.

"I suppose we can't avoid those qualities," I allowed. "But also something with classic charm and a dangerous edge."

I peeked from the screen to see him looking down with a small smile on his face.

"So you're saying _I_ have classic charm and a dangerous edge? Waldorf, you're making it very hard to not believe those three little words you said to me yesterday..." he teased.

I stiffened a little. I knew I couldn't blame him, but it did still hurt a little that I had gotten those three words flung back in my face. It had been so long since I had had to deal with that kind of rejection from him again.

Still, this was the perfect opportunity to educate him in just who I really was. "Well, I can't deny that I've been wanting a little more danger in my life."

He started laughing. Openly and clearly demeaning.

I peeked out at him once more with a frown on my face. "What?" I demanded.

He was still chuckling. "That doesn't sound like it fits in with the Waldorf life plan."

"And what exactly do you think the Waldorf plan is?" I asked, turning back to finish my ensemble..

"Valedicatorian of Constance, you and Nate both go to Yale- engaged, of course, graduation, then marriage, pop out a kid, he becomes a lawyer like your father, you become the perfect society mom hosting galas and charities all the time." He paused, before adding drily, "And then you die."

I had to admit, that had been exactly my dream while dating Nate.

I peeked over the screen. "I'll tell you a secret, Bass."

He raised an eyebrow to which I teasingly hid back behind the covering. "Maybe. Just maybe... I dream of a different life sometimes."

"Please tell me it's as a Russian stripper- because Waldorf, I will completely support this change in plans."

I chose at that moment to reveal the next choice, with added black silk stockings and gloves. "Well, maybe I would strip- for the right person," I announced as I walked toward him.

His eyes widened for just a second before he controlled his expression again. "Very good," he proclaimed a little hoarsely.

"The corset is a little tedious though, don't you think?" I asked as I let my hand slowly run over the front clasps. "It takes so much time to take off, so it might slow things down."

He did not seem able to take his eyes from watching my hand as it meandered down the material. "Slower can be better," he explained in a low voice, and then adjusted the leg of his pants.

I turned promptly, giving him a few seconds stretch to watch my thong-clad bottom as I walked back to the partition. I may have heard him curse softly, but it was too quiet to tell.

"Sometimes," I continued our previous conversation as I started the process of undressing once again. "I think it would be nice to have a little more freedom."

I expected him to make some kind of lewd joke, or flippant comment. But he remained quiet, so I tried another tactic.

"Don't you ever think of something different than the Chuck Bass life plan?" I asked.

There was just a small pause before he answered. "There is none," he replied lightly. "That's the point; I can't ever be disappointed."

I got the corset off me and started on my stockings. "Oh you don't think you do, but I can bet how you think your life is going to be."

"Oh, I'd love to hear it," he replied drily.

"You think you'll graduate- barely and with lots of bribes of course, you'll spend a year at college- to please your father- but then drop out. The subsequent years are spent partying in a drug and alcohol-induced haze until you die early in some scandalous way. Oh and you might get some model pregnant on accident."

"Pretty good, Waldorf. Except for the kid part- I wouldn't want that."

I frowned, surprised by this answer. "You don't want kids?"

"I don't want to be a shitty father," he corrected.

I had to pause for a second before answering. "Well I think it could be different."

"How so, Waldorf?" I could hear the sarcasm in his voice.

Well you could deflower your best friend's girlfriend one night and then fall madly in love with her for the rest of your life.

"I just think people can always change. You become how you want to be."

"You're forgetting that sometimes people are just fucked," he said simply. I knew when he said this that he meant he couldn't change- the limitation of his supposed incapabilities.

"Don't you ever think of a different life?"

There was a very long pause. "Maybe. Just maybe."

At that moment Dorota's voice came booming up the stairs. "Mister Nate for you, Miss Blair!"

I heard the bed squeak loudly and peeked in time to see Chuck shoot up from the bed.

"Get out of there, Waldorf- quick," he ordered, looking around the room as if for a hiding place.

I was surprised certainly, and perhaps just a little anxious- but much more so enjoying his sudden nervousness.

"Oops, I can't- I'm naked!" I announced. I actually had still a part of the former lingerie on, but he didn't need to know that.

He stood still immediately, facing away from me. I couldn't see his reaction obviously, but I did see his fists tighten and heard a harsh curse under his breath.

"Why do you care if he sees us?" I asked leisurely from my spot still behind the screen.

"Don't you care?" he shot back, turning back to give me a perturbed look.

I batted my eyelashes at him. "Are we doing anything wrong?"

He was so cute when flustered. "No, but- just, put a robe on or something, okay!"

With a pout I turned finally to place a silk robe on, tying it modestly in the front. I could hear Nate's footsteps close on the stairs now and it made Chuck panic. He scrambled to the bathroom and shut the door just as my bedroom door opened.

"Nate!" I greeted him brightly.

"Hey," he said, eyes roving over my appearance in slight surprise. "Were you taking a nap or something?"

"Uh, no." I shrugged my shoulders. "Just wanted some relaxation time."

"Oh," he nodded.

"Nate," I paused a little in my confusion. "What are you doing? I thought I told you that you didn't have to come over after school?"

"I know," he ducked his head a little. "I came over because I wanted to."

There was an awkward silence as I wondered what to do.

"Well," he tried again. "I wanted to see if you wanted to go out or something."

Ugh, no I definitely did _not_ want to. But if I had to be his girlfriend, I suppose I had to.

"Okay," I agreed, looking away. "Just let me change first."

I waited for him to leave, but when he made no movement, I had to look up again.

He was smiling at me, walking forward to close the distance between us. "Let me help."

His arms enclosed over my waist and his lips drew to mine before I could stop it. It was just so surprising, it took a few seconds for my brain to process what was even happening. But his hands sliding down over my ass finally woke me up.

"Wait!" I broke off, trying to extricate myself from his arms.

"Don't you want this?" he breathed, as he kissed along my neck.

**NO!** I remembered that night of the cotillion and without the rose-colored glasses, well... it certainly wasn't worth repeating. Not that he didn't get eventually better, but... nevermind, moving on.

Of course, I had to maintain him as my boyfriend until Victrola happened, so I couldn't tell him that.

I placed my hands on his neck and shoved it away so that I could see his face. "This isn't the right time," I said with as much seriousness as possible.

He was frowning a little, and I could tell he was disappointed. Sheesh, if only I had known then what I knew now when I actually wanted to sleep with him! Wait- nevermind, moving on.

"It'll happen sometime," I placated lightly, dragging him to the door. "Just not right now."

"And when it does, I will totally blow your mind," I finished with a little more seductive flair, bringing him in for a heated kiss before promptly shutting the door in his face.

I waited for a few seconds until I heard the slow movement of his feet walking away from the door. When it became finally quiet, I walked over to the bathroom and slowly opened the door.

Chuck was standing against the sink with his arms folded, looking surprisingly ponderous.

"He's gone now," I informed him softly.

He looked at me, his eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Why didn't you want to, Waldorf?" he asked. "Wasn't that the moment you'd been waiting for?"

I was unprepared though not totally surprised by this question. I suppose that was something the old Blair Waldorf at this time would have never refused.

She of course had no idea that she would fall madly in love with the boy standing in front of her.

"I wasn't ready, okay!" I defended, stepping away from him, and drawing my robe closer. "I need time to prepare! And as if you wanted it to happen while you were standing behind my bathroom door!"

He processed this slowly, looking surprised as if he just realized that indeed he would not have wanted that.

And then he seemed to recover himself. "Maybe it wouldn't be so bad..." but even after saying it, he didn't sound convinced himself.

I turned around. "Well, I won't be needing that service from you, Bass. Thank you for your input on the matter today."

It was his cue to leave then, but when I heard no movement I turned back to see him standing at my dressing drawers.

"We do still have one more to go, Waldorf," he told me softly, touching the silvery material of the last lingerie.

I stared at him for a bit before gathering it into my arms and heading for my dresser drawers.

"We'll save that one for another time."


End file.
